Post.



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN S'. SNIDER, OF LANCASTER, OHIO.

POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 685,186, dated October 22, 1901.

Application inea Apiii 25, 1'901.

T0 caf/ZZ whom, may concern.:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. SNIDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Fairfield and Statie of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Posts; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in fence-posts, and more particularly to a post of the composite type, the base being of a suitable non-destructible earthen substance and the post proper being of any suitable material, preferably wood.

The object of the'invention is the provision Yof a post which shall not easily decay and become useless.

A further object is to provide a base which will not be affected by the elements and to which may be applied a new post proper whenever the original becomes useless for any reason.

With these objects in view the invention consists of certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a portion of a fence provided with posts embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 represents a perspective/view of the parts of my improved corner-post or gate-post. Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of a slightly-modified form of base. Figsa and 5 are similar views of modified constructions of post-bases embodying the features of my invention; and Fig. 6 is a perspective v iew of my improved fence-post, showing the base provided with beveled grooves on opposite ends of the web.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, l indicates a base of any preferred material, but preferably of some form of burntearth, which base is adapted to receive a post proper, as 2, and support the same, whereby the elements will have less tendency to destroy the parts or cause the decay of said post proper. The base lis of I shape in transverse section, thereby forming two longitudinal grooves running the entire length of said base, which serial No. 57,440', (No man.)

are adapted to receive the members of the post proper, and said base 1 is provided with an aperture, as 3, near each end thereof for the reception of securing means carried by the lower end of the post proper, whereby either end of .base l may be secured to said post proper. The provision of interchangeable ends on the base l is an important feature of my invention for the reason that if one end of said base becomes broken the other end may be. utilized with equal efficiency. The post proper may consist of a single piece of material, as 4, and secured to said base at only one side, or it may consist of three pieces, the central piece being shorter than the two outside pieces and adapted to rest upon the central web of said base l and the two outside pieces being secured to the opposite sides of said base l, thereby making a firm durable post.

I have contemplated leaving oif the Iianges forming one of the grooves of the base, as shown in Fig. 3, and thereby produce a postbase, as at la, provided with a longitudinal groove, as 6, for the reception of a post proper, which in this instance is preferably of the singlo-piece type; but the triple-piece post may be applied to base la, if desired.

As a means for assisting in the retention of the post proper I also contemplate making the side flanges of base lb (seen in Fig. 4) slanting, thereby producing a bevel-edged longitudinal groove, as 6a, for the reception of a bevel-edged post proper, whereby said post proper cannot be moved laterally from said base, and any desired securing means is adapted to pass through aperture 3b for retaining said post proper from longitudinal movement within said base, thereby necessitating the removal of said securing means before the parts can bev separated.

A further modification of my improved base is contemplated, as seen in Fig. 5, by the removal of one of the side flanges, whereby an L-shaped piece is left, as l, adapted to support a post proper, as 4c, by a boltpassed through an aperture therein and into or` through said post proper. This last modification is the simplest and cheapest form of base.

It will be seen that base l and post proper, 2, are of a large strong type and suitable for IOO fence-corners or gate-posts; but I may of course use the same at any points of a fence or for other purposes desired and use one of the other forms of bases for the corner or gate posts, as may be desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A fence-post, comprising in its construction an upper post structure proper which is bifurcated at its lower end to form downwardly-extending spaced bars or projections, and a single earthenware base formed with a central web and double side flanges extending longitudinally of said web and bent inwardly at acute angles thereto, forming dovetailed grooves on opposite sides of the base;

the downwardly-extending projections or bars on the upper structure being formed with beveled edges adapted to be passed longitudinally between the flanges and the web, the central portion of the upper structure resting on the top of the web, and me'ans for securing the upper structure to the base to prevent upward longitudinal movement thereof, the

upper structure being held against lateral movement by the anges of the base, substantially as described.

2. A fence-post, comprising in its construction an upper wooden structure formed of vertical side slats or boards extending below a central vertical slat, and a single earthenware base formed with a central web, and double side flanges extending longitudinally of said web, and bent inwardly at acute angles thereto forming dovetail grooves on opposite sides ot' the base, the slats being formed with beveled edges adapted to be passed longitudinally between the flanges and the web, and means for securing the slats to the base to prevent longitudinal movement thereof, the slats being held against lateral movement by the flanges of the base, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. SNIDER.

Witnesses:

M. A. DAUGHERTY, WM. DAUGHERTY. 

